In the fast-paced world of startups and small businesses, every advantage helps. Whether it’s pricing or product or promotion, there is tremendous uncertainty from day to day.

It’s no surprise, then, that we look toward any avenue to shed light on things. Even so, you might be surprised to learn that entrepreneurs are looking to video games for direction.

The term is “gamification.” Or to break it out: “game-if-eh-cation.”

It means the application of gaming mechanics and principles into actual business practices, specifically the installation of scoring, levelling up and people’s innate desire to upgrade.

So how can video games relate to business? Well, there are a lot of parallels, and, even if you didn’t know it, you’ve been subject to them for years.

Loyalty cards are a good example. When I scan my Kroger Plus card, I earn (game) points that I can redeem for (game) prizes.

When a sales supervisor offers a reward for highest conversion rates each week, she’s gamifying her sales team.

And when American Express sends you a Gold Card Membership, they’re leveling you up, just like a game would do to encourage activity in a certain direction.

OK, you get the point. But does it work? Well, it’s not just entrepreneurs gamifying things. Coke, AOL, Dell, Nike, Viacom and just about every other major brand has some level of embedded gamification going on. In 2011, “gamification” was even added to the Oxford Dictionary.

Online it’s even more prevalent. The system of users makes every interaction a gaming opportunity, and Facebook, Twitter, Groupon and the lot are all finding more and more ways to use this tactic to drive user engagement.

While the cynic in me is a little put off by the idea of some armchair psychologist coming up with ways to treat me like I’m a player in a game, I’d be a fool to think I can avoid it. Gamification isn’t new. It’s at the heart of capitalism, i.e. money, status, property.

Really, the only thing new is the explosion of the term’s usage and the emerging technologies that allow deeper and deeper integration of “players” into these “games.”

My advice is to give gamification some thought in regards to your own business. Whether it’s customer or employee motivation, coming up with a reward structure might just get people to play your “game” better, faster or longer, whichever you’re going for.

If nothing else, it might shed new light on your current efforts and open up avenues you didn’t know were there.

Jesse Bushkar is the CEO of Sysconn New Media Inc. He can be contacted at 912-356-9920 or jesse@sysconn.com.